Home Minister coming tomorrow: Will he extend formal invitation to Hurriyat for talks? | KNO

Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

Srinagar, June 25 (KNO) : Union Home Minister Amit Shah is all set to arrive in Kashmir for a two-day visit to perform darshan at the holy cave-shrine of Amarnath in South Kashmir and also to chair a high-level security meeting while as all eyes are on him as to whether he would extend a formal invitation to the Hurriyat leaders for dialogue. Since past one week, Kashmir has been under the tight grip of clamour that there was a possibility of dialogue between Hurriyat and New Delhi in the wake of Governor Satya Pal Malik’s announcement that “Hurriyat was ready for talks.”
What added more to the debate was that Governor’s announcement evoked a response from the Hurriyat Conference (M) chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who stated that the “amalgam has always favoured dialogue as the means of conflict resolution.” Interestingly, National Conference patron Dr Farooq Abdullah also stated that there should be a dialogue with Hurriyat. The PDP president Mehbooba Mufti also said that it was good to see Hurriyat softening its stand on dialogue. What remains to be seen is whether Shah would extend a formal invitation to Hurriyat for talks or he would simply skip it.
Reliable sources told KNO that the Home Minister will perform the darshan at the Amarnath cave shrine in South Kashmir’s Anantnag and then fly to Srinagar to chair a high level security meet where all the top officer of police, army, CRPF and other security agencies will participate and provide a detailed report on the security arrangements in place for the annual pilgrimage starting on July 1. Shah, according to sources, will also be briefed about the overall security scenario in the Kashmir Valley that entails success on anti-militancy operations, and law and order situation.
A top security officer told KNO that the Home Minister will arrive amid a tight security cover to Srinagar and he will be staying at Nehru Guest House overlooking Dal Lake. “All the security arrangements have been put in place for his smooth visit,” he said, adding that the security review will take place at the SKICC under tight security cover while as on the second day of Home Minister’s visit he will meet BJP leaders, civil society activists, and also the unemployed youth delegations.
Shah was sworn on as the Home Minister on July 1 and from the every onset he showed his interest in Kashmir affairs and chaired a series of meeting on Kashmir. Sources told KNO that Shah is likely to meet Governor Satya Pal Malik to take stock of various important developmental schemes and their status. However, it wasn’t clear whether he would address the media before leaving back to Delhi.(KNO)